Clippers Vs Lakers: Late surge sends Lakers to 125-122 win as Doncic (38) and Reaves (29) shift the rivalry split

For players, rotations and the immediate feel of the season, the clippers vs lakers game altered more than a final score: the Lakers held on 125-122 to split the four-game season series while the Clippers slipped to 27-29 after a comeback that fell short of. 500 following a 6-21 start. Luka Doncic’s 38 points and 11 assists and Austin Reaves’ 29 paced the Lakers; Kawhi Leonard scored 31 before exiting with an apparent ankle injury with 5: 10 left.

Impact on rosters, minutes and momentum

What changed first was availability: Luka Doncic returned from a four-game absence and a five-minute All-Star Game stint after a mildly strained hamstring, and the Lakers enjoyed a rare full-health moment where Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves were able to share the floor for only the 11th time in the team’s 55 games this season. The trio responded with a prolific offensive night, even as LeBron James managed just two points in the second half despite finishing with 13 points and 11 assists in the Lakers’ return from the All-Star break.

Clippers Vs Lakers: how the scoring swings and runs unfolded

The game saw frequent momentum shifts rather than a single steady run. The Lakers opened surges early—one stretch saw them make 16 of 17 shots—and Doncic scored 17 first-quarter points, including four 3-pointers. The Clippers answered in bursts: Kawhi Leonard had just one bucket in the first but produced a 19-point second and finished with 31 points before leaving late with an apparent ankle injury. Boston-to-LA sequence details from the night included a 17-1 Clippers run that briefly put them ahead and earlier a 10-2 Lakers push that established a 15-point edge.

Key moments and the closing sequence

Here’s the part that matters: late drama decided the margin. Derrick Jones Jr. scored on consecutive possessions to cut the lead to 123-120 with 46 seconds remaining. Nicolas Batum then intercepted a LeBron James pass in the final seconds but missed a tying 3-pointer with 4 seconds left. Earlier, Bennedict Mathurin had a 26-point, seven-rebound night for his new team but fouled out with 1: 49 to play after a second straight standout effort; the context also notes that Benedict Mathurin (alternate spelling in coverage) began the second period with a jump shot for the Clippers.

Stat lines, streaks and injuries that shaped the night

Luka Doncic finished with 38 points and 11 assists and scored 12 in the fourth quarter; Austin Reaves added 29, including multiple late 3-pointers and a crucial knockdown to retake the lead in the final frame. LeBron James had 13 points and 11 assists. Kawhi Leonard’s 31 came before he missed the final 5: 10 with an apparent ankle injury. John Collins was helped off after bloodied his face on a hard landing with 18 seconds left in the first half. The Clippers’ second-chance scoring edge (14-2 in one noted stretch) and bench bursts — including a career-high-tying 38 from Mathurin against Denver earlier in the week — were central to their comeback attempts.

• Lakers split the four-game season series with the Clippers after the 125-122 finish.
• Despite a 15-point lead lost in the second half, the Lakers closed strong; Doncic scored 12 in the fourth.
• Clippers fell to 27-29 after a season that began 6-21, coming up just short of returning to. 500.
• Notable rotations: the trio of Doncic, James and Reaves shared the floor just the 11th time in 55 games, signaling an uncommon patch of health.
• Late-game sequence: Derrick Jones Jr. cut the gap to three, Batum stole a pass but missed the tying triple with 4 seconds left.

It's easy to overlook, but the mix of return-from-injury minutes and the rare full trio lineup is a concrete reason the Lakers could mount the late offense they needed. The real question now is how the Clippers manage availability after an apparent ankle issue for Kawhi Leonard and how both teams process swings like a 17-1 run and a 15-point blown lead.

Sequence notes and quarter-by-quarter markers

Early runs and quarter margins set the frame: Brook Lopez opened with a personal 5-0 run for the Clippers while Austin Reaves scored the Lakers’ first five points. At 6: 18 of the first, the Lakers led by three; by the end of the first they were up 12. The Lakers were up 13 at one point in the second (7: 35 mark) and led by seven at halftime. Going into the fourth, the Lakers led by four; the Clippers outscored them by three in the third. Jarred Vanderbilt opened the fourth with a dunk, three foul calls for the Lakers created stoppages early, and the Clippers tied the game at the 9: 50 mark before Reaves’ go-ahead 3-pointer.

The real test will be whether the teams can translate this late intensity into more consistent stretches of offense and defense on future nights; small margins and availability already decided this one.